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A natural way of dealing with Barretts esophagus?

Posted , 65 users are following.

malcolm47
malcolm47

Hello all,quite recently I realised that my treatment for Barretts did not appear to be working very well I am taking 40mg Lansoprazole twice per day for the usual symptoms,reflux,distension,discomfort in throat etc.

I was diagnosed last June with Barretts,hiatus hernia and reflux after undergoing an endoscopy and despite taking the above medication still suffered the symptoms from time to time usually if I ate too much or ate the wrong things,for example tomatoes,cucumber,chocolate,spicy meals and so on.

Last week those symptoms returned with a vengeance and would not go away,so after scouring the Internet I decided to try a mixture of Diglycerinated liquorice,slippery elm,and a digestive enzyme bought from a local health shop and hey presto it seems to be working and for three days I have stopped taking Lansoprazole completely.

I hope that this new course continues to work as I am not sure about the long-term effects of taking PPI's it seems to be open to debate as to their efficacy over a long period of time.

Anyway for now I feel human again and will continue with my current treatment of 2-3 DGL capsules,a steeped brew twice per day of slippery elm powder(mix with milk and hot water) and one Digestive enzyme capsule at tea time.

However if necessary I may still take the odd Lansoprazole if this new method fails to continue to do its job.

By the way I am 63,male and currently awaiting a second knee replacement,medically retired in June last year from Royal Mail due to knee injury incurred on duty,I believe as a result of this inactivity (I have not worked since last June) this illness i.e Barretts et al appeared,the worry and inability to walk properly for 15 months has caused it to surface.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has had a similar experience and whether or not anyone is using natural remedies for treating this horrible affliction which according to one nurse in Orthopaedics when I had my preop for knee replacement 'is nothing much' I quipped back that try telling me that at two in the morning when I'm still awake feeling like I've eaten a five course meal and cannot get comfortable in bed,anyway food for thought,I will be glad to hear of anyone else's experiences on the subject of Barretts and on alternative treatment.

Regards Malcolm

5 likes, 118 replies

118 Replies

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  • marioschreiber
    marioschreiber malcolm47

    Posted

    Please keep me posted on how you are doing. I also have Barretts but presently am not taking anything but my stomach acts up every once in awhile...

    I am looking for somehting natural mbesides the prescription drugs. Now since I am new at this blog stuff, I really do not know how to put my request out there for anyone to answer me....

    • malcolm47
      malcolm47 marioschreiber

      Posted

      Hi Mario,

      Well not doing too bad really I eat pretty normally,just less,enjoy the occasional beer or two and sleep pretty well.

      I don't take my lansaraprozole at the moment,and just the occasional Ranitidine,so all in all not bad.

      I have had more discomfort this weekend but that's down to having had a busy weekend with lots going on,lack of sleep,and not much rest,and of course more stress,family gatherings,wedding receptions,I fully expect too recover by the middle of the week.

      Guess that this is all part of it,the fact that at times it comes back,just to remind you that it's still there,but it doesn't worry me any more,I know this illness now,if I get real pain then something's changed for the worse,as it is I can cope OK,that's enough.

      'Know thine enemy',good advice,I realise I could be much worse,but I'm not,I am so far quite lucky,this time last year I was really bad with it,I count my blessings.

      I wish you well!

      Regards Malc

  • maros
    maros malcolm47

    Posted

    Hi everybody,

    I have veen diagnose with barret's for about 6 years now... My doctor had me tried all  proton pump inhibitors and still it seemed not responding well. Pregnancy even worsen my predicament. Though, is been two year after given birth nothing seems to change.  My last endo states that no dysplasia, thank God.. But, in my case the barret's reach and affects my sinus.... coughing, hoursenesss or no voice at all is part of my of my daily life that my doctors force me to resign from work and decided to be a full time mother.

    I am looking for other alternative remedies ... and hope this would be more suitable for me. By the way I'm only 35 Female, Filipino. 

    thanks 

    maros

    • jamie31967
      jamie31967 maros

      Posted

      Hello Maros

      Im 37 yr old and 4 months pregnant. I have had 2 ulcers & now barrets just before getting pregnant and im suffering.

      I take 40mg emozul and use gavisgon advance but doctors say until the baby is born they cannot do anything else for me. I feel like i cant take another day vomiting acid, sharp pains and worry im getting worse and wont recover after the baby is born ..any advice?

  • michael63705
    michael63705 malcolm47

    Posted

    To all of you, I had baretts really bad, I was taking anything I thought would help including prescribed pills that helped, but really helped and bacicly cured me is being diligent about changing my diet, everyday mostly fresh vegetables as many different kinds as possible raw but chopped up very fine, also fruits, beans, all things healthy. chicken or some fish, no beef, booze,nothing you know is not good for you, It took over a year of a strict healthy diet and I am basicly cured. ButI can't go for this healthy dietor it does return (the acid reflux) but as long as I eat to live my quality of is worth living. good luck to you all, it is not easy to live a good healty diet but after feeling better I can't go back, I wrote this because my sucked before this the baretts made life not worth living now live is good again. Please all of you change your diet and stop feeling miserable.

                                                                                         mike

  • byron986
    byron986 malcolm47

    Posted

    hello there mate im 50 yrs of age diagnosed with barretts 7 years ago , didnt got, to the docs with indigestion, uptil the diagnosis i haddend suffered with acid burping indigestion heart burn , went for something else and they found the dredderd , put me on omoprozole didnt tell me i would be on this drug long term , or tell me i could get of them, add i been told this i would nt have taken them, i dont drink smoke or eat rubbish foods not over wieght or under 7 years on my barretts has got worse now 7to 9 centimtrs now being told ive to go under the knife, ha ha dont think so.so yesterday bought myself a blender completly changed my food intake no more porrage and breakfast cerals etc i get out of bed half a pint of water, my dreddered tablet followed by a almond banana pineapple smoothie , its been a week now , had no reflux , if i get a hint will take a teaspoon of honey with a tablespoon of best cidre vinager added to half pint of water which works treat
  • Lynn5518
    Lynn5518 malcolm47

    Posted

    Glad to find this site . I learned so much already . After a bloated stomach 

    most of the time . Not when I wake , but as day goes on . If I ate or not ! 

    I have to sit up in bed after hours of sleeping just to burp . It's Barrett's . Not a burning

    acid , but needing to burp . I learned how . Then I can sleep . The acid does not bother me during the day , but only if I bend over .never thought a connection

    however I do cough at night when I first get to bed , a bad cough .dry cough 

    does not last long . I eat small meals . Food never had come up . But a friend of mine has that problem also he can't sleep . Ok, I also has a knee problem, out of no where

    i had to get my minsus drained . And also I have weak kidneys at 66 years old .

    so!all this is connected to Barretts????  I will not take the purple pill as it just mask

    the Barrett's . As my 5 min doctor told me too , I never learned anything from the Dr.

    but most my girlfriends have this kidney issue . I drink small amount of aloe Vera in water .

    and apple cider vinger in water . And I taken papaya to help .

    i also have real black licorice . I also drink apple cider vinger in glass of filter water .

    doctor said after the camera down my throat . The beginning of barretts. 

    I did not connect the dots as I also get out of breath easier .

    guess I need a new nice doctor .who cares .

  • byron986
    byron986 malcolm47

    Posted

    hello there malcolm47 ive got barrets been on same tablets as you when you have an acid attack take a tablespoon of good cider vinager to a teaspoon of honey in a half pint glass of cold water and it will kill the acid i was shocked
  • byron986
    byron986 malcolm47

    Posted

    hello there malcolm sorry to here about your problem ive had barretts for 7 years, at first was totally ablivious to my problem , i actually think the amoprezole has made me worse, so after my last visit , being told it had extended from 2cm t7cm in the last year and told i must have my valve in the top of my stomach worked on ,that was enough to make me start like you looking on the net. ive always had a fantastic diet dont smoke and only drink ocationly, ? why me. its now been three weeks very little indigestion and know reflux, the first thing to do is cut out sharpe breakfast cerals cornflakes branflakes countrystore etc etc, swopped it  for porrage made with almond milk not cows, then once cooked a handfull of almonds then into my blender until chopped to nothing i take that to work with me, then four lunch a smoothie made with almond milk again with nuts honey and several none acid friuts then take that sip by sip over the day , try and stay of chocalate goodies etc cakes pasties etc thats because they are full off baddies sactuated fats , then when i come home i have my normal heathy dinner with no pudding to  follow but a hand full of almonds and a cup of tea , i dont even wake in a morning with acid and now off the amoprazol i hope im of help to you ,
  • michael63705
    michael63705 malcolm47

    Posted

    I have Barretts, for a couple of years now, had it really bad, life sucked, and had to do something about it. Had a perscription from the doctor helped but not the relief that I really wanted,  So I did something really major and kind of hard to do in the begining. But it took two years to get back to normal. I changed my diet, I go to the farmers market every week and buy all the the greens kale, collard greens etc. beets, carrots, one bunch of everything come home chop them up in a cuisinart  for the week and mostly eat that, all raw,  with a little cooked pasta  couple of eggs, some fish, some nuts almonds walnuts etc. also some fruits everyday,

    No oranges tomatoes or onions and no alcohol or cigarettes. It took about a year to really get on the schedule and stick to it, but I can say no more prescriptions from the doctors lost 15 lbs, lost 3 inches in my waist, and best of all I can swallow pretty freely, I don't cough hardly at all, I am basicly cured, so if it really sucks for you too, try all natural organic foods and get better no more processed foods.

  • lesley15439
    lesley15439 malcolm47

    Posted

    Hope that your self medication for Barretts is still working. I was diagnosed with Barretts recently after being on PPI for 6 years which suddenly stopped working. I decided that I would try go it alone, so to speak. First thing in morning, I drink pint and half of water before any breakfast. This seems to neutralise the acid. I then have porridge with coconut milk. I noticed that after drinking tea with skimmed milk the acid began again. I refuse to give up my mid morning cuppa so I then eat a stem Ginger gluten free biscuit and within few minutes the acid has gone. I've cut out all hard cheeses and dairy products apart from skimmed milk in my morning cuppa. I also try drink plenty of water and have discovered that coconut water stops any acid. I really think it's trial and error but I'm definitely not going back on any PPI's. I believe that they can mask problems. They did in my case but of course for some people they may work perfectly. Unless you've suffered with horrible burning acid, you can't understand how it affects people. I can only put the Nurses comments made to you is one of ignorance and I only hope that the Nurse concerned never suffers from this condition. Good luck Malcolm, I wish you well in trying to control your symptons.
  • hayley83079
    hayley83079 malcolm47

    Posted

    Hi there I was diagnosed with barratts back in 2011/12. I didn't have reflux often, only symptom was a silly cough. I started taking lanzaprazole the cough stopped but started with dreadful pains under right rib through to my back, pains in bowel area.

    I had endoscopy and they found 5cm barratts - I've been taking 20mg omeprazole as lanzaprazole didn't suit me.

    The last few weeks have been horrendous pains again same place, constipstion, knee pain.

    After looking at thr side effects I need to come off the meds. I went to see my GP who are based in derbyshire and told they don't offer endoscopy anymore

    I am mortified, very stressed, if I have a mole and it has changed it will be seen. I have barratts and can't be monitored.

    I've been stressed since my gp visit. Sunday went out with my mum and almost choked on a sandwich, I have booked to see my consultant at Nuffield derby. I want another endoscopy to see if it has Bevone worse. The docs have always said on omeprazole you can eat anything. Which to be honest I've been doing drinking wine, etc I don't have a lot but it's still there.

    My gp advised me to take another 20mg tablet which I was reluctant to do, I did for a few days but I'm in agony.

    I will see what the consultant says. Until then I'm stopping my tablets and watching what I eat.

    I've been advised by my nutritionist friend to try this :Hi

    Ok so my health book states the following ;

    A pro - biotic tablet (linda will have some for you )

    Calcium and magnesium and potassium tablets

    Papaya tablets

    Pancreatic plus bromelain

    Vit B complex

    Chamomile tea

    Warm water no lemon

    Celery and cabbage juice daily

    Don't drink liquid with meals

    Do not eat for 3 hours before bed

    Avoid citrus fruits

    No spices

    No tomatoes

    No rich sauces

    Avoid over eating

    Avoid stress 😉

    Avoid processed foods

    Long term use of gerd can increase risk of damage to stomach lining

    Can also lower libido and cause anxiety

    60% of people with gerd in one study showed an increase risk of Barrets

    Obviously I've got barratts.

    I was 47 when diagnosed, not that much overweight, don't drink a lot, never smoked although my mum does a lot. I do need to lose 1.5 stone now - I have been bad eating chocs, biscuits anything I want really.

    I will let you know how I get on. - I'm keeping a diary from today.

    • lesley15439
      lesley15439 hayley83079

      Posted

      Hi Hayley, So sorry to hear of the awful time you have been having with your Doctors.  Ive never heard anything like it before. To suddenly say they dont do Endoscopy procedure any longer. I think you should contact your local Health Authority to complain.  It would  appear to be a lottery though when it comes to treatment.  There is definitely no continuity between Health Authorites.  I think you have to insist they do something and change Doctors. Stress can, as you say be a big factor also.  The worry of it all certainly cant help. My old Doctor  told me that some people just get more acid and I would just have to live with it.  He increased the dose of PPI.  After 6 years of increasing and decreasing the dose with little success, the symptons returned with a vengence, the PPI was not working at all.  A new Doctor sent me for another Endosopy and discovered I had a sliding Hiatus hernia and Barretts mucosa.  A biopsy was taken and the result came back Barretts with Non specific mild acute and chronic inflammation.  They will send me for another Endoscopy in another 5 years. I Wonder what they will find then!.  So even when they do the procedure, the diagnosis is still conflicting. I think everyone with Barretts should persist in making sure they are listened to and get the appropriate treatment.  The NHS is not free, most of us have been paying in for decades.  Dont give up Hayley, stay strong.  A couple of tips that work for me and help me to control the acid most days. I start first thing in the morning with a full glass of water before eating anything.  Then porridge with coconut milk. No bread and only gluten free bread if I fancy bread.  Not the same taste but fine toasted.  If my symptons flare up during the day,  I drink a glass of coconut water which  does the trick.  I also use Slipper Elm powder which I  make into a drink.  You can use hot milk or water.  I make a paste first then add the hot water.  Not nice taste but it works, so I put up with it.  I take Gaviscon before bed and definitely dont eat anything for at least 3 hours before bed.  Tea can also set the acid off, so as I love tea and am prepared for what comes afterwards, I have a cup with skimmed milk and a stem ginger biscuit, this seems to stop the acid too. I eat Mangos they are very good and  probiotic yogurts too. I think it is trial and error when trying find out what foods are going to cause the acid to flare up. I hope some of my tried and tested tips may help you.  Good luck.  Keep strong.
    • shellj
      shellj hayley83079

      Posted

      Hi Hayley... I live in derbyshire and have nothing but help with my troubles. After being diagnosed about 5 years ago with a hernia and scarring in my oesophagus after an endoscopy I was put on lansoprazole and 2 years ago had a bad flare up. They let me have another endoscopy which was inconclusive re the presence of. Barretts but I wanted to know and they gave me another which said negative , but I had the usual inflammation in the oesophagus and was confirmed after a week of test as having GERD. Last year after suffering with severe pains I went back and had another endoscopy which confirmed a small area of barretts with an ulcer on it and a follow up endoscopy showed the ulcer had gone . The barretts will never go unless treated and they are going to offer an endoscopy in a couple of years. I really insisted that I be seen and my doctor was very sympathetic. I have also been offered the option of the fundoplacation op but I am continuing with the medication and watching my diet. I will decide after the next endoscopy. So don't lose heart with derbyshire just change your doctor... They do help in Derbyshire and I have had endoscopes in 4 hospitals over the year according to when quick appointments are available. Good luck
  • steven06383
    steven06383 malcolm47

    Posted

    I am brand new to this condition having been told I have Barretts just last Tuesday:

    last November I was. 12 stone 58 year old but type 2 diabetic..

    then about 6 weeks ago started to have violent sickness about 2 hours after evening meal.. I am now 11 stone and it took several spells in A&E before the duty Dr suggested the camera job down throat..I do have dry cough and breathing tightness which GP thought might be Asthma ..

    i am on PPI tablets and at last do not have the vomiting although sense something like heartburn..

    I search on this forum to get insights and any suggestions most welcome..

    SA

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